For years, greases have been prepared by reacting fats and fatty acids with various metal compounds to produce a soap, which is thereafter used to thicken a quantity of oil into a grease. Alternatively, grease manufacture may start by dissolving fats or fatty acids in oil. These fats are saponified in situ to form soap which thickens the oil to form a grease.
There are numerous patents which disclose grease making methods in detail. Among these are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,714,092, 2,915,470, 2,980,612, 3,313,729, 3,639,236, 3,776,846, 3,856,688, 3,864,367, 4,280,917, 4,297,227, and 4,358,384.
Naturally, the cost of the grease is dependent upon the cost of the ingredients involved, i.e. the oil, fats and fatty acids, metallic compounds, and other ingredients required to make the grease and to enhance its properties. Therefore, a method which would reduce or eliminate the need to purchase any of the above-mentioned ingredients would be economically advantageous and commercially desirable.